Apparatus and method for making closed tile



April 1931- r R. A. SHIPLEY 1,800,324

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKING'CLOSED TTLE Filed Aug. 30. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet l April 14, 1931. R. A. SHIPLEY APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKING CLOSED TILE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 50 1927 BNVENTOR A inm; 1931. R. A'. SHIPLEY 1,800,324

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKING CLOSED TILE Filed Aug. 50, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 14, 1931.

R. A. SHIPLEY APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR MAKINGfiLOSED TILE Filed Aug. 30 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR A ww,

machine 7 adapted to extruded material and form a continuous box-like body. At each end of the die 6 openings 10 are provided for forming strips or slabs 11 the same ma terial as the bot y 5. The strips 11 are spaced from the body portion by walls 12. The walls 12 may be provided with fluted plates 14 for scoring flutes 15 along the inner edges of the strips 11. lhe auger machine 7 is operated continuously and at a rate of speed ependent upon the constituency and thickness of the wallsof the tile. is the body portion 5 is extruded from the die Swith its open ends at right angles to the strips 11, it is necessary that the sections 2 be turned through substantially a right angle before the sections or the strips are applied to the open ends 1. I 1

Referring to Fig. 3, as the body 5 is extruded from the die 6, i passes over aplato 16 carried by the machine 7 on to a conveyor The conveyor 17 may be in the form of 1 a belt. The rate of speed of the conveyor 17 is in excess of the rate at which the body 5 moves across'the plate 16 in order that sections of the body 5 reaching the conveyor 17 may be speeded up sufiicient y to permit the turning and closing operation while permitting a continuous extruding operation from the die 6. The body 5 is cut into sections by a wlre 18, preferably supported by arms 19 mounted on the plate 16. The arms 19 are operated by any suitable mechanism, not shown. The cutting wire 18 may be disposed so as to separate the sections to form the body 5 after they are in engagement with the conveyor 17, if desired. However, in locating the wire 18 to cut the body 5 into sections after the former is in engagement with the conveyor 17, care must be exercised to prevent the roughening oi the surfaces 01" the sections 2 by reason of slippage.

The strips 11 are fed through guideways .20 extending parallel toand in spaced relation with the edges of the plate 16 and conveyor 17. Near the ends of the conveyor 17, the guideways 20 are flared outwardly to clear the edges of the turn table 21. Sprays 20o are located in the flared portions of the guideways 20 for a purpose hereinafter more fully described. V

The turn table 21 delivers the tile sections 2 to a conveyor 22 operating at a materially higher rate of'speed than the conveyor 17 in order to withdraw finishedtiles from the turn table 21 faster than they are fed onto'it. The movement of the material from the auger machine 7 along the conveyor first takes place over the plate 16 where the body 5 is cut into the sections 2, that are moved by the conveyor 17 onto the turn table 21 at a high enough rate of speed to permit the turn table 21 to be moved through substantially 90 and the ends of the sections 2 closed by strips cut from the slabs or strips 11. Thereafter the finished tiles are removed from the turn table 21 by the combined action of oncoming tile sections and the conveyor 22, the latter operating at a substantially higher rate of speed than the conveyor 17. The diflference in the speed of the conveyors 17 and permits a stop mechanism hereinafter described, to. be brought t position to intercept the oncoming tile section after the finished section is discharged from the turn table 21.

Referring to Figs. 3 to 6, for closing ends iof the sections 2, cams 23 are mounted at the des of the conveyor. substantially in aline- -t with the axis of the turn table 21. The ca .s 23 are turned in synchronism with a drive shait 2 1' for the turn table 21. Each cam 23 actuates a cutting plate 25 having a reciprocating movement between faces 26 and 27 formed in the guideways 20. Each plate 5 is connectedto its corresponding cam -23 y a rod extending through abearing 29, and a roller 30 disposed in a groove 31 in the am 1.3. The travel O'ii theplates 25 is such hey are on ely withdrawn from the assagewa s in the guidevvays 20 when in eir restricted position, in order that the ips 11 move across the opening between the faces 2'8 and 27. By roviding utting surfaces at both ends of the plates 25, he strips 11 are cut into sections, the ends of which are regular and even. The material severed along the faces 27 and'remaining in the guideways 20 is discharged through openings 32. e

As the strips 11 are continuously extruded from the die 6, simultaneously with the body portion 5, the natural rate of movement of the strips 11 through the guideways 20 is the same as that of the body portion 5 along the plate 16. But since the sections 2 are speedcd up during their travel over the conveyor 17 and as an appreciable delay occurs while the sections 2 are being turned by the turn table 21, enough material traverses the openings between the faces 25 and 27 to provide end the width of the tile is less than its length when severed by the Wire 18. lin the event that the width of the tile is substantially equal to or greater than its length, provision must be made for increasing the soeed of the strips 11 through the guideways 20 This may be accomplished by extruding the strips 11 through dies separated from the die 6.

As the tile sections 2 are received on the turn table 21 they move forward until they engage one of a number of stops 34 by which they are halted. Each stop 34 extends upwardly through an opening 35 in the turn table 21 and is biased to an inner position by a spring 36. Each step 3 1- has an individual lug 37 carrying a roller 3 travelling a stationary cam 39. By this construction the position. of the stop 34 is controlled'by its po- 7 to the sides of the cam'39. The bars 44 are The depressed portions41 are disposed so as to insure that the stops 34 are repressed at three points around its circumference. The depressed points are opposite the cams 23 and on the center line of the conveyor 17 forpermitting the sections of the strips 11 to pass thereover and for permitting the oncoming tile sections 2 to move on to the turn table 21, respectively.

Referring to Fig. 5, the flexible section 42 is constituted by bars 44 secured by hinges 45 provided with pins 46 attheir outer ends.

' The pins 46 are disposed in slots 47 in a yoke 21. The cam section 42 is disposed to intercept the oncoming'tile section 2 at the rear of the turn table 21 and stop it preparatoryto the turning movemen t. The cam section 42 is in its raised position only for a short period of time while halting the oncoming tile sections 2. During the remainder of the time, t 1e stop 34, temporarily located thereat, is in a depressed position.

Referringto Figs. 4, 5 and 7 as soon as any stop 34 is pressed backwardly against its associatedspring 36, the associated switch 40 is closed. The closing of the switch 40 com pletes a circuit from a supply conductor 54, through a slip ring 55 carried by'the shaft 24 of the turntable, the winding 56 of an electromagnet57, the switch 40 to a second slip ring-58 on the shaft 24 and a conductor 59 to another conductor 60 of the supply circuit. The energization of any electromagnet 57 causes a clutch 61, carried by the shaft 24, to engage a bevelled gear 62 driven by a shaft 64 for turning the turn table 21.

' The oncoming tile section 2 to the turn table 21 crowds the finished tile section 2 on i to the conveyor 22. Movement of the tile sec- -tion2 along the conveyor 22 closes a switch 65, switch 65 is in circuit with an electromagnet 66, for closing a switch67 connecting the w1nding52 to the supply conductors 54 and 60. Immediately upon the energization 0f the electromagnet 52, the stop 34 disposed in ring68'ha-ving a plurality of insulating sections 7 0 alongits outerface and a continuous conductor 71 along itsinner face is energized. A. brush 72 bears against the outer surface of the slip ring 68 and is connected to an electromagnet 74, the other end of which is connected .by a conductor 75t0the supply con- I ductor 60. Accordingly, the brush 72 completes a circuit through the slip ring 68 to the conductors 54 and 60. When the brush 7 2 is opposite the insulating sections 70 of the slip ring 68, the circuit is open. The closing of the'circuit through the electromagnet 74 opens the switch 67, thereby deenergizing'the electromagnet 52 and permitting the yoke 48 to return to its lower position under'the influence of. the springs, 49. The insulated sections 7 0 are disposed around the shaft 24 so as to be op'posite'the brush 72 during the periods when any stop 34 is required for stopping the movement of tile section 2 moving onto the turn table 21.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 6, the clutch61 is constituted by a hub 76 mounted onthe shaft 24 and having four outwardly extending'arms 77, the lower end of eachof which pivotally supports a lever 78. The outer end of each lever '7 8 is connected to the armature, of one of the electromagnets 57. The inner end of each lever 78 is'provided with a pin 79 extending through a slot 80 in a lug 81 extending outwardly from a clutchmember By this construction the clutch member 82 is normally held out of engagement with'the gear 62 by the action of the springs 84. However, upon energization of any electromagnet 57, the corresponding lever 78 isturned to depress the clutch member 82 andbring'the teeth 85 and 86 into engagement whereupon the. shaft 24 is turned during such period as the electromagnet 57- remains energized; As soon-as the departing tile section 2 :o'pens'the switch 65 and the electromagnet 74 is energized to open the switch"67,the stop 3470pposite the cam section 42 is depressed and-the associated switch 40 is opened, thereby deenergizing the winding 56 of the electromagnet 57 and releasing the clutch member 82 from engagement with gear 62 by the contraction of the springs 84. While I have Shown the angular movement of, the turn table 21 to be substantially 90 for each actuation of the clutch mechanism 61, it is to be understood that the angular'movement of'theturn table 21 may be varied if desired, since such.

angular movement may be controlled'by the number of electroi nagnets 56 and switches 40 provided in the machine.

Referring to Fig; 6', for actuating-the cams 23,:the shaft24 is provided with a collar "90 springslOl. Gut-ward movem 102 are biased upwardly by c frame supportins teeth 9% clutch teeth for f shafts 96 connected through .e gear 9'? to the cams 23. The teeth of carried on the shaft by l cams 100 biased into engagement with th gear 82 y rel cams 100 under the 101 is resis ed by pins 102 era grooves 103 of the barrel ce- Levers 105 ends or" the levers 105 ride overthe tee on the collar and the outer are oted to the pins 102. During the i movement of the shaft 2%, the inn the levers 105 ride upwardly on the which action withdraws the teeth 102 from engagement with the barrel 1100. Upon the release of the barrel earls they moved inwardly by the expansion 'ot' springs 101 and cause the teeth 9% and 95 to mesh, thereby imparting motion to the cams 23.

As the shaft continues to turn one inner ends of the levers drop over the top of the teeth 91, during which time the ends of the pins 102 ride on the outer face of the barrel cams 100. This condition contir 'until the barrel cams 100 have turneo suinofengagementuith the 92, whereupon movement of the sho s 0-6 and cams 23 is discontinued; The ratio bet veen the 62 a'nd92 is such that complete revolution of the came 23 is had uring each operation of theclutch mechanism 61. Since the shaft 21 only moves during the turning movement the turn table '21, the barrel cams 100 are released only at the completion of each turnmg movement of the turn table 21 and, ac-

" cordingly, the subsequentialop ration of the cams 23 insures that the plates 25, actuated by the cams 23 move forwardto close the ends of the tile sections with strip sections list the proper time.

7 After the ends 4 of he sections 2 are closed by the strips section 11, the oncoming tile section 2 engages the finished tile section 2 and moves it forwardly-far enough .::or itto be seized by the conveyor 22. Since the conveyor section 22 moves at a higher rate ing tile section. 'As the outgoing tile section closes the switch 65, the stop 3d intront of the advancing tile section 2 is raised. Upon the engagement of the stop 3-1- the oncom ing tile section 2, the associated switch 40 is closed, which completes the circuits for actuating the clutch 61. Upon the actuation of clutch 61, the turn table sirer amount and the cams 23 are given a complete rotation, thereby causing the plates to seversections from the strips 11 and press them if the ends of the section'2. The ends 0 o e sections 2 on the turn table 21 are moist nod b y the sprays 2054 previous to the reception of the closing sections. The iorgoi g cycle of operations takes place automatically and continuously and at a rate of speed determined by the rate of extrusion from the auger machine 7.

it is to be understood that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the scope of the appended claims. 7

in the method or" forming hollow tile,

t e mg; in producing a hollow bod strip of the same material asthe bod ting the hollow body into tile secin relative movement between d tilev section to expose an open one tile to the strip and applying a lie strip to an open end of each pen-e ced tile blank, cutting the tile blank into sections, disposingthe sections onto a conveyor, turning the sections at an angle to the direction of movement ofthe conveyor, and applying a closure member to one end of. each section.

3. In a method of forming hollow tile, the steps consisting in disposing an open-ended tile on a conveyor with an, open enc facing longit dinally of the conveyor, turning the tile at an angle to theaxis of the conveyor, and applying closure member to an end of the tile.

i. In the method of 'form'ing hollow tile, the steps consisting in disposing an open ended tile onto a conveyor'with open end facing longitudially oi? the conveyor, halting the tile, turning it at angleto theconve or, and applying a closure member to an ndofthe tile.

5. In the method of forming a hollow tile, the steps consisting in disposing an openended tile on a conveyor with an open end facing longitudially of the conveyor, turning the tile at an angle to the directionof movement of the conveyor, and simultaneously applying closure members to the ends of the tile.

is turned the'de method of forming hollow, tile, nsistmg in continuously extrud of speed than the conveyor 1?, the outgoing 6. In the method of torming hollow" tile, tile section is drawn from the incomthe steps consisting in disposlng an openthe direction of movement of the conveyor,

and pressing a portion of the strip onto an open end of each tile section.

8. In the method of forming hollow tile,

the steps consisting in placing a hollow body member and a strip of the same material at each side thereof for reception by a con- 7 ve or cuttin the hollow bod 1 into tile sections, creating relative movement betweeii' the strips and the tile sections to expose theiropen ends toward the strips, and applying portions of the strips to the ends thereof.

9. Inthe'method of forming hollow tile,

the steps consisting in depositing a hollow body'member and a strip oi'the same material at each side thereof onto a conveyor,

cutting the hollow body into tile sections, turning the tile sections to expose their open ends toward the sides of the conveyor, and pressing portions of the strips to the ends thereof. 2 v

10. In the method of forming a hollow device, the steps consisting in extruding a hollow body and a spaced strip from a die, sectioning the body and strip, relatively mov .ing the successive sections and then applying a strip section to an end of each body section. v

11. In the method of forming a hollow dc vice, the steps consisting in extruding a hollow body and a spaced strip from a' die, sectioning-the body and strip. turning the successive body sections and then applying,

strip sections to 'theends of the body sections.

12. In the method of forming a hollow body, the steps consisting in, advancing the hollow body along a conveyor, turning the body at an angle to its direction of movement along the conveyor, and applying a closure member toan end of the body.

. 13. The combination with a die having openings for forming a hollow body and a strip of the same material, and a receiving conveyor, of means for sectioning the body, means tor turning the. successive sections atan angle to their direction of movement alongthe conveyor and means for applying a strip section to an end ofeach body section.

14:- The combination with a die having openings for forming a hollow body and strips of the same material, and a receiving conveyor, of means for sectioning the body,-

means for turning the successive sections at an .angleto'ltheir direction-of movement along the. conveyor. and means for applying strip sections to the ends of each body section: Y I

115. The combination with cdie having. openings forformingaihollow body and a strip of the same material as the b'ody,'and a receiving conveyor, of mean'stfor' sectioning the body,means for turning the successive sections at an angle to their direction of;

movementalen-g the conveyor, means'for applying a strip section to. an end of each :body section, iandineans j'itor. subsequently conveying the assemble l body and strip.

' 16. The combination with a die having openings for forming a hollow body and strips of the same material as the body, and a.

receiving conveyor, of means for sectioning the body, means for turning the. successive sections at an angle to their direction of' inovementalong the conveyor, means for apj plying the strip sections to the ends of each body section and means for subsequently conveying the assembled body and strips.

17. The combination with a die having openings for forming a tile body and a strip of the same materialas the tile body, and a receiving conveyor, of; means for sectioning the tile body, means for turning the successive bodies at. an angle to their direction of movement along the conveyor, means for moistening an end thereof, and means for applying a strip section to the moistened eiid.-

- 18. The combination with a die having openings for forming a tile'body and StIIPS of the same material as the tile body, and

receiving conveyor, of means for sectioning the tile body, means for turning the successive bodies at an angle to their direction of movement along the conveyor, means for moisteniiigthe ends thereof, and means for applying strip sectionsto the moistened ends.

19. I The combination with means for forming hollow bodies and a strip of the same ma terial, of means for moving successive bodies.

relatively to the strip, and means for applying a strip section to an end of each body.

20. The combination with a diehaviiigopenings for forming hollow bodies and strips of the same material, of means for moving the successive bodies relatively to the strips, and means for applying strip sect-ions 'totheendsofeachbody. 21. The combination with a die having openings for forming a continuous hollow body and a strip of the same material, of

means for sectioning-the body, means for moving the successive body sections relatively to the strip, and means for applying a strip section to an end of each body section.

22. The combination with a die having openings for forming a continuous hollow body and strips of the same material, of means for sectioning the body, means for moving the successi e body sections relative- 7 my hand- 1y to the strips, and means for applying the strip sections to the ends of each body section. r

23. In the method of forming hollow tile, the steps consisting in producing an openended tile section and a strip of material, creating relative movement between the strip and tile section to expose an open end of the tile to the strip and applying a portion of the strip to the end of the tile section.

In testimony WhereofI have hereunto set ROY A. SHIPLEY. V. 

